The rich and spoiled New York socialites are back. "Gossip Girl" returned Jan. 24 to continue its fourth season on The CW following the lives of beautiful Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her troubled friends and her even more drama-ridden family.
It becomes quickly apparent that all the villains have disappeared. Dan's mischievous little sister Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen), revengeful newcomer Juliet (Katie Cassidy) and even the jealous Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) are all gone, leaving the cast relatively devoid of serious conflict.
Serena's mother, Lily (Kelly Rutherford), fills the villain void by plotting financial deals and falsely imprisoning teachers to protect her daughter's reputation. Serena's friends Chuck (Ed Westwick), Blair (Leighton Meester), Dan (Penn Badgley) and Nate (Chace Crawford) seem relatively drama-free in comparison.
With these changes, the main characters are more endearing and accessible. Even Blair, the former Queen Bee, seems to have calmed down. Her truly evil days are over, and, as a result, her sometimes cruel and selfish actions appear relatively trivial.
Nevertheless, "Gossip Girl" continues to represent everything the Parents Television Council is fighting to silence. The kids are rebellious, promiscuous and mischievous. And yet, they are much tamer than in earlier seasons, as though college has actually had a maturing effect. Drugs and crazy partying have been replaced with champagne and sophisticated soirees. The subtle merging of youth and adulthood becomes more obvious with the character's new challenges: Chuck fights for his business, Blair for a job and Nate for his family.
Although the transformation from high school to college has had positive effects on the characters, it seems to have simultaneously stopped them from attending classes, leaving them as college students in name only. Perhaps this is a move to keep the plotlines cohesive, but as the show stands, the characters are growing up much faster than their viewers.
Some new characters have been added in an attempt to tackle the racial homogeneity of its cast. The creators of "Gossip Girl" introduced a slew of new, ethnically diverse characters, and while most guest spots are fleeting and rarely linger, some of the new personalities appear to be developed enough to suggest longevity. For instance, Russell Thorpe (Michael Boatman), an enemy of Chuck's late father, emerges as a potential buyer of Bass Industries and promises to heighten the dramatic tone of the show.
Despite the addition of new cast members, the plot is largely recycled from previous material. People are in and out of jail. The younger characters remain mostly out of class. The parent-child dynamic continues to be explored. For the most part, although the characters may have matured, their interests have not.
The constant shifting of romantic dynamics makes the show difficult to follow. With the blossoming relationship between Dan and Blair, who have despised one another up to this point, it is even more apparent that even the show's relationships are recycled.
The dialogue is surprisingly witty, despite the often-unnatural delivery by young actors and actresses. For the most part, the characters' personalities don't fit in with profound analogies and references. The dialogue instead appears most natural when delivered in simplistic and curt bantering.
From the shaky first season to the current fourth season, the show has continued to gain a considerably stronger following. The drama is believable and the social conflicts honest. Characters such as Chuck and Blair, who once seemed devoid of feeling, have developed tremendous depth of character. Though "Gossip Girl's" sexual and dramatic nature may elicit controversial responses, one thing is indisputable: Despite its shortcomings, you know you love it.
